A Wrinkle in Time Time Quintet, bk #1 by Madeline L’Engle Adventure Mystery Science Fiction Review #1 * * * Stars (Pretty good) “A Wrinkle in Time” by Madeleine L’Engle follows Meg Murry, her brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O’Keefe as they journey through time and space. The trio is guided by three mysterious celestial beings: Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Which, and Mrs. Who. Their mission is to rescue Meg’s father, who has been … Read more
The Guard Selection series, bk# 2.25 Dystopian Fantasy Romance Science Fiction Review #1 1 Star (a waste of time) “The Guard” by Kiera Cass follows Aspen, a palace guard in lllea, where the selection of a princess for Prince Maxon is happening. Aspen is torn between his duty and his feelings for a girl named Lucy, leading him to struggle with his inner conflicts. As tensions rise, Aspen is faced with difficult choices about his … Read more
The Prince Selection series, bk #0.5 by Kiera Cass Dystopian Fantasy Romance Science Fiction Review #1 * * Stars (Just ok) In “The Prince” by Kiera Cass, Prince Maxon prepares to select his future queen. Aspen, a palace guard, secretly loves one of the candidates, America Singer, who enters the Selection for financial reasons. Maxon and America form a bond as the competition progresses despite her conflicted feelings for Aspen. As political tensions rise, Prince … Read more
The Stand by Stephen King Dystopian Horror Science Fiction Supernatural Suspense Thriller Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Stephen King’s “The Stand” is a dystopian genre novel (though flavorings of multiple genres are present in the text) that chronicles the journeys of an ensemble cast of characters as they learn to survive in an America that has been ravaged by a genetically engineered plague known as the Superflu. As the survivors of … Read more
Skyward Skyward #1 by Brandon Sanderson Adventure Dystopian Science Fiction Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) All her life, Spensa has dreamed of joining the Defiant Flight School. After all, her father was a pilot, and he was one of the best. There’s just one minor problem—as her father was on a mission for the DDF, he supposedly turned coward. In response, his own flight mates shot him down. Her whole life, … Read more
Fenris & Mott by Gary Van Eekhout Mystery Science Fiction Supernatural Thriller Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) Fast-paced Norse mythology novel where Mott has to prevent the Fenris from eating the moon, or the world will end. I liked this book because you are thrown into the plot, and it is a good mix of mystery, weird happenings, and friendship. For elementary and middle school readers.
The Survivor Wants to Die at the End Death-Cast #3 by Adam Silvera LGBTQ+ Romance Science Fiction Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) On Earth, where death runs rampant, a large company called “Death-Cast” seeks to fix that problem by predicting the deaths of those who sign up. Many people find this program to be a blessing, ensuring that they can say their goodbyes and find peace before death. Others find it to … Read more
Seagarden Plotting the Stars #2 by Michelle A. Barry Fantasy Mystery Science Fiction * * * Stars (Pretty good) Myra and her friends saw their secret moon garden destroyed when it was discovered. They’ve started another one, but it’s not ideal. What’s worse is that Myra’s Botan magic seems to be going wrong when she tries to use it (something to do with the trauma of what she experienced with the previous garden). They’re still … Read more
All Better Now by Neal Shusterman Science Fiction Thriller The world has barely recovered from COVID when the next virus attacks. This one, known as Crown Royale, is also devastatingly lethal for some folks, but those that survive – and even those that don’t, in their last minutes – experience a complete change in perspective. They become kinder, gentler, more helpful people. Two factions are arising – those that think the virus is a positive … Read more
Dungeon Crawler Carl Dungeon Crawler Carl #1 by Matt Dinniman Adventure Fantasy Science Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Earth has been repossessed by aliens for its minerals, and anyone who was inside some kind of structure when the aliens showed up is immediately crushed out of existence. Any remaining humans have been invited to participate in a dungeon crawling game for their survival and the rest of the universe’s entertainment, as their progress … Read more